A change in cash fares has some city bus users paying more due to the elimination of transfers  (bob Schnieder/ CHATNewsToday)

By Tiffany Goodwein

Transfer elimination on city buses tough on some transit riders

Oct 23, 2020 | 6:27 PM

MEDICINE HAT AB- For Ian Sharpe, taking transit is a necessity for his day to day life in order to get groceries and to make it to his doctor’s appointments. But since the city made changes to their transit system, taking the bus for Sharpe has become more expensive, despite the fare reduction from $3.25 to $2.00.

“It’s $2.00 from here to the mall. Another $2.00 on another bus to maybe Tim Hortons and McDonalds to wherever it is up there. Same thing coming back. That costs about $12.00 return trip, and it is pretty difficult when you don’t have that kind of money to be spending on bus fare on separate buses.”

The city eliminated transfers in March as part of their response to COVID-19.

” Due to COVID-19 protocols we can’t be passing paper back and forth between passengers and operators and so we reduced the fare, the cash fare in order to help the passengers along with that,” said Mike Spicer, manager of Transit Services for the City of Medicine Hat.

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Spicer says there are other ways for transit users to save while taking the bus.

” Other than the $2.00 cash fare, what we are promoting to our customers is that if they do buy a monthly pass, then that helps with the amount of times that they have to ride the bus,” said Spicer.

But for Sharpe that option is unfeasible.

” Well I can’t really afford a bus pass every month not with my income anyway, and I’m not working I’m on disability,” he said.

“Every time I take the bus I have to make sure I have enough to get there and back both ways. Sometimes I can’t take the bus because I don’t have the money and if I take a cab I’m going to end up going one way with a cab and one way back on the bus and it is going to cost me basically the same amount if not more,” Sharpe said.

Monthly passes range in price from $70.00 a month for adults to $48.00 a month for seniors.

The fares are currently under review, according to the city.

” Currently we are doing a review of our fare strategy and what that means and so we are looking at fare options, we are looking at smart cards, we are looking at mobile apps. We are looking at a variety of different options as we come out of this pandemic, and offer our customers various options that don’t require them to have paper between themselves and ourselves.” said Spicer.

The city is also discussing the possibility of including transit fares as part of the Fair Entry program, which provides city services at a reduced cost to low -income individuals. Discussions are still in the very early stages, according to Spicer.